The 2009 NFL draft thread

The Game Room
1

Since mock drafts are becoming an almost daily article by some sportswriter, I thought it might be a good time to look at the needs of your favorite team and taking a stab at who they might draft.

The Steelers draft last, and they have major needs on the offensive line. But I also think they need a running back that can run between the tackles. I know that’s why they drafted Mendelhall last year, but I wonder if he’s the answer. If a running back falls in their lap, like a LaSean McCoy from Pitt, can they pass it up?

Also, the Chiefs, with their new hire of OC Todd Hailey from the Cards is an interesting pick at #3. Seems that most people going for a QB, usually Sam Bradford. I think Tyler Thigpen actually looks like a pretty good QB, so if I were the Chiefs, I’d grab Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech.

2

I’m hoping the Steelers can get C-Alex Mack or OG-Duke Robinson at pick 32. Their line isn’t quite the mess it looked last year; they had two guys consistently failing to pick up blitzes. If they get a decent Right Tackle they could move Willie Colon back to his natural position, Left Guard, and release Kemoeatu who was horrible in pass protection. They also need some youth on the D-line; I’m still upset they didn’t get Adam Carriker a few years back and now he’s stuck languishing in the middle of the Rams’ line.

3

Hi. I’m a Lions fan. If I see Stafford with the first pick, I’m going to go ballistic. I want Andre Smith.

4

I would like to see the Steelers strengthen their O-line and get a power runner. Someone who can punch it in at the one yard line. Someone to replace The Bus.

5

I think they’re banking on Mendenhall to be able to do that. I think they could kill two birds with one stone by drafting a good blocking fullback, similar to McLain for the Ravens (Bettis entered the league as a FB). Regardless of how they do it I think we all would like to see some improvement to the inside running game. I think they’ll get it done, I have a lot of confidence in Mike Tomlin and the front office.

6

Sorry. Have you seen a doctor?

Don’t you mean Andre Ware? snort

Why no Stafford love?

7

Green Bay Packers

We’re picking #9, which, from my viewpoint, could be a very nice spot. I see a dropoff in talent and at around 7. So hopefully the teams before us will reach for a position of need (Sanchez, maybe Maclin) and leave some talent around 9. That way, someone may call to move up and grab a player who has fallen who is not a position of need for the Packers. I also think this draft is light on the studs, but fairly deep to the second and third rounds in comparable talent. Especially in the Packer’s positions of need, OLB, DT, OT.

Most of the mock drafts I’ve seen, and most of the chatter on other boards, have us taking a OLB/pass rush specialist, to go with our change in defense to a 3-4. At this point, I disagree, because I don’t see anyone worth that pick there. Raji is all Senior Bowl hype, Orakpo is a workout warrior, and Maybin is overrated. Maybe Everrette Brown though.

My view is that we should take the BPA (except a QB) who falls to 9. That includes: Stafford, Andre or Jason Smith, Curry, Monroe, Crabtree, or Jenkins if available. In my ideal world, we get Jenkins or Curry, but I just don’t see them falling.

Still, it is way to early to tell. I still want to see more about Orakpo, Brown, and Raji, because they may be the pick. And we still see what Thompson does in free agency.

As an aside, I’m not a huge fan of the constant breakdowns of the first round of the draft and ignoring the rounds that really can make a team, second, third and fourth. Here are some guys I’d love the Packers to take in those rounds:

2nd - Larry English, OLB; Clint Sintim, OLB;

3rd - Jarron Gilbert, DE; Jamon Meredith, OT, Alex Magee, DT

4th - Myron Pryor, DT, Nick Reed, DE, Mitch King, DE; David Veikune, DE

Later - Sebastian Vollmer, OT; Marlon Lucky, RB; Roy Miller, DT;

As you can see, the biggest needs the Packers have are along the D Line, OLB, and the O Line. I think they have a good chance to fill those needs in the middle rounds, without having to overpay a projected stud.

8

Easy: There is absolutely NO point in drafting a QB if your line can’t keep him vertical. I also would go ballistic if the Lions’ choose Stafford.

Worst fear: Crabtree :wink:

9

My Hawks will take Crabtree if he’s there at #4. I was 100% deadset AGAINST this pick at first. “No WAY can a WR make the kind of impact you want in a top 5 pick.” Then I watched Larry Fitzgerald completley own in the playoffs.

The Seahawks’ biggest question will be if Hasslebeck can stay healthy. “Bulging disk” isn’t exactly something you seem to recover from. He may only have a season or two left in at the helm. I wouldn’t be surprised to see us go WR/QB in Rounds 1 & 2 respectively.

10

I think they wait a few rounds to grab a project quarterback. Seneca Wallace is a pretty solid backup QB, and I’m not sold on Sanchez in the first round. I think they’d prefer to bolster their offensive line to help out the running game. Alex Mack. Duke Robinson. Maybe Eden Britton. Max Unger. If someone like those guys fall, I think the Seahawks would grab them.

11

I think the 49ers need a stud Nose tackle if they’re going to play a 3-4. The best choice this year (since Cody didn’t come out) is B. J. Raji out of Boston College.
We also need a safety, a pass rusher, and a QB. I think we can last a year or two with Shaun Hill, so a mid-round QB might be a good choice. I think Sanchez is good, but not at the #10 spot.

12

I think you misspelled “Tim Tebow”.

Stafford is fine, but the Lions need help along their lines. If there’s a franchise tackle with the first 3 picks, you always take him. Unless there’s a Peyton Manning/Ryan Leaf type of conundrum where you have an OBVIOUS rookie quarterback, you don’t take a quarterback in the first few rounds unless something falls in your lap or you can trade up for value.

If they take Rey Maluaga with their second pick in the first round, I might also go ape, but not as ape as I’ll go if they take Stafford. I haven’t not wanted someone this badly since Kellen Winslow Jr.

13

I hope the Bengals take Maluaga. Putting him next to his USC buddy Keith Rivers would be woundrous for our defense. Then the Bengalis need to get a C/G and a backup tackle. Maybe a RB in the 3/4th round and a CB in the same set.

14

Any idea what round Nebraska RB Marlon Lucky may go? He came in as a can’t-miss 5-star recruit… and well, wasn’t. I know recruiting services can be very hit and miss, but Nebraska historically never gets the big 5-star (hmmm, should I go to college in Los Angeles, Miami, or Lincoln?).

Some Husker fans give him a pass because he came in during the now-forgotten Callahan years… but, as a 5-star, he should’ve made more of a difference.

What does the NFL think of him?

15

The Rams can go with pretty much anything as a need position right now, but I don’t think they can go with any choice other than OT in round 1. I am leaning toward Eugene Monroe as the best fit, but I am willing to let Smith and Oher show me what they can do in the combine and workouts. For the rest of the rounds I see our primary needs as OL, SS, OLB and RB. We need a backup QB and DL but I thnk those are going to be less imperative areas better addressed by getting aggressive in Free Agency.

Then the next step is keeping them HEALTHY!

16

It’s “Maualuga.”

17

I’ve seen him projected in the late 6th or 7th round. He certainly had an impressive high school career, and had a good 2007, but he’s always been sharing carries and was the third best running back on the Huskers this year. I’m sure a team will take a chance on him, and he does have some upside (he catches the ball well, has good size, and isn’t afraid to pass block), but his production has seriously suffered. I haven’t seen anything that makes me believe he can be an every down running back in the NFL, but in the right system, he certainly can contribute.

18

It’s really too early to say anything meaningful about the draft right now. We need to see what happens in free agency and who gets cut heading into the draft. Teams have several holes to fill and many of those holes will be filled by UFAs before the combine. Also, I really don’t know what to think about alot of these guys. We need to see the workouts at the combine before we know what we have. I ran down my thoughts on the Bears in the Free Agency Thread.

For now I’ll say this, I love the fantasy of the Bears getting RB/WR Percy Harvin. If his performances at Florida translate to the NFL he’d be a perfect fit. He can play in the backfield as a #2 RB, a speed guy and 3rd down option who can be a home run threat. He can get about 10 carries a game and be our Chris Johnson. Also, he can be on the field at the same time as Forte and move out wide as a flanker or slot back. That would cause nightmares for defenses doing match-ups and he would kill safeties and LBs trying to cover him. Sadly, I don’t think the Bears offense and management is smart enough to see this.

On defense I’d love S/OLB Nic Harris. No one is really sure if he’s a OLB or a Safety right now and most people think he could play either. If he gets converted to a OLB he could be the next Brian Urlacher and with Hillenmeyer in place he could take his time acclimating to the position on our stong side. We also need help in the secondary at Safety so if he turns out to be a better fit there perhaps the Bears can use him as an oversized SS.

Both guys will probably be 1st round picks so there’s no way we get both, but perhaps with both guys being seen as 'tweeners maybe one, most likely Harris, will slip to the middle of the second round. The Bears have drafted several guys from both Florida and Oklahoma so maybe they’ll want these two.

19

Chargers draft will depend LARGELY on how they end up dealing with the Tomlinson situation.

For purposes of this thread- at this moment he is a San Diego Charger- and therefore I will consider that he is a Charger on draft day. (And I do not have to deal with the Knowshon dillema, this way :slight_smile: )

We have weakness on the right side of our OL, Middle Linebackers and Safety. I would like to see our DL with a little upgrade as well- but I think that has a lot to do with linebacker play. Plus, I think of the three needs- Safety is probably third of three.

I would like to see us pickup a FA OL that can take the Right Tackle spot, leaving us free to draft…
Brian Cushing LB USC (Or Ray Maualuga LB USC) I like them both and I’ll be happy with either one. Cushing is more disciplined… and since we already have a somewhat defensive free spirit in Merriman- I’m more inclined to him, but Maualuga is a player.

The only two situations I can see not going with one of these two… BJ Raji somehow falls to us. (We need a replacement for Jamal- he is, literally, on his last legs). Tomlinson is let go, and we are forced into finding a replacement. :frowning:

20

Anybody watching, or at least paying attention to, the combines? Yahoo Sports has a quick review, saying Pat White made a good show for himself.